1. Survey information

These questions are for Wave 58 of the fortnightly Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) dispatched on 30 May 2022. These are the most up-to-date survey questions.

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2. Trading status of your business

Which of the following statements best describes your business's trading status?

  • Currently fully trading

  • Currently partially trading

  • Paused trading but intends to restart in the next two weeks

  • Paused trading and does not intend to restart in the next two weeks

  • Permanently ceased trading

Where in the UK are your sites temporarily or permanently closed, if any?

  • Northern Ireland

  • Scotland

  • Wales

  • East of England

  • East Midlands

  • Greater London

  • North East of England

  • North West of England

  • South East of England

  • South West of England

  • West Midlands

  • Yorkshire and The Humber

  • Not sure

  • Do not have any sites

  • None of our sites are temporarily or permanently closed

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3. Exporting

Which of the following statements best describes your business's exporting status?

  • Exported in the last 12 months

  • Exported more than 12 months ago

  • Never exported but have goods or services that could be developed for export

  • Never exported and do not have goods or services suitable for export

  • Not sure

How did your business's exporting in May 2022 compare with this calendar month last year?

  • Exported more

  • Exporting stayed the same

  • Exported less

  • Business was unable to export

  • Not sure

How did your business's cost of exporting in May 2022 compare with this calendar month last year?

  • Cost increased

  • Cost stayed the same

  • Cost decreased

  • Not sure

How did the time spent on exporting in May 2022 compare with this calendar month last year?

  • Time spent increased

  • Time spent stayed the same

  • Time spent decreased

  • Not sure

Did your business experience any challenges with exporting goods or services in May 2022?

  • Yes

  • No

  • Not sure

Did your business experience an increase in any of the following exporting challenges in May 2022, compared with the previous calendar month?

  • Additional paperwork

  • Change in transportation costs

  • Customs duties or levies

  • Destination countries changing their border restrictions

  • Disruption at UK borders

  • Finding information on how to export

  • Lack of hauliers to transport goods or lack of logistics equipment

  • Reduced demand for products and services

  • Time taken for checks at the border

  • Work permit or visa restrictions, or lack of mutual recognition of professional qualifications

  • Other

  • Did not experience any challenges with exporting

What was the main cause of these exporting challenges?

  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

  • End of the EU transition period

  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the end of the EU transition period

  • Other

  • Not sure

Please explain in more detail the main cause of these exporting challenges

  • Comments
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4. Importing

Which of the following statements best describes your business's importing status?

  • Imported in the last 12 months

  • Imported more than 12 months ago

  • Never imported

  • Not sure

How did your business's importing in May 2022 compare with this calendar month last year?

  • Imported more

  • Importing stayed the same

  • Imported less

  • Business was unable to import

  • Not sure

How did your business's cost of importing in May 2022 compare with this calendar month last year?

  • Cost increased

  • Cost stayed the same

  • Cost decreased

  • Not sure

How did the time spent on importing in May 2022 compare with this calendar month last year?

  • Time spent increased

  • Time spent stayed the same

  • Time spent decreased

  • Not sure

Did your business experience any challenges with importing in May 2022?

  • Yes

  • No

  • Not sure

Did your business experience an increase in any of the following importing challenges in May 2022, compared with the previous calendar month?

  • Additional paperwork

  • Change in transportation costs

  • Customs duties or levies

  • Disruption at UK borders

  • Finding information on how to import

  • Lack of hauliers to transport goods or lack of logistics equipment

  • Suppliers not customs ready

  • Time taken for checks at the border

  • Other

  • Did not experience an increase in any importing challenges

What was the main cause of these importing challenges?

  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

  • End of the EU transition period

  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the end of the EU transition period

  • Other

  • Not sure

Please explain in more detail the main cause of these importing challenges

  • Comments
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5. Supply chains

Was your business able to get the materials, goods or services it needed from within the UK in May 2022?

  • Yes, the business was able to get the materials, goods or services it needed

  • Yes, but the business had to change suppliers or find alternative solutions

  • No, the business was not able to get the materials, goods or services needed

  • Not applicable

Did your business experience any global supply chain disruption in May 2022?

  • Yes

  • No

  • Not sure

  • Not applicable

Please give more details about how your business has been affected by global supply chain disruption

  • Comments

Which of the following, if any, will be your business's main concern for July 2022?

  • Business rates

  • Competition

  • Energy prices

  • Exchange rates

  • Inflation of goods and services prices

  • Interest rates

  • Supply chain disruption

  • Taxation

  • Other

  • Not sure

  • No concerns for my business

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6. Sending goods

Has your business sent goods from GB to Northern Ireland in the last 12 months?

  • Yes

  • No

  • Not sure

In May 2022, how did the volume of goods your business sent from GB to Northern Ireland compare with the previous calendar month?

  • Volume increased

  • Volume stayed the same

  • Volume decreased

  • Stopped sending goods to Northern Ireland

  • Not sure

  • Not applicable

Please give more details about why the volume of goods sent from GB to Northern Ireland changed in May 2022

  • Comments

Has your business sent goods from Northern Ireland to GB in the last 12 months?

  • Yes

  • No

  • Not sure

In May 2022, how did the volume of goods your business sent from Northern Ireland to GB compare with the previous calendar month?

  • Volume increased

  • Volume stayed the same

  • Volume decreased

  • Stopped sending goods to GB

  • Not sure

  • Not applicable

Please give more details about why the volume of goods sent from Northern Ireland to GB changed in May 2022

  • Comments
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7. Operational performance

Is your business using, or intending to use, increased homeworking as a permanent business model going forward?

  • Yes

  • No

  • Not sure

  • Not applicable

Why is your business using, or intending to use, increased homeworking as a permanent business model going forward?

  • Ability to better match jobs to skills

  • Ability to recruit from a wider geographical pool in the UK

  • Ability to recruit from a wider geographical pool internationally

  • Improved staff wellbeing

  • Increased productivity

  • Reduced carbon emissions

  • Reduced overheads

  • Reduced sickness absence

  • Reduced wage bill

  • Other

  • Not sure

Why is your business not intending to use increased homeworking as a permanent business model going forward?

  • Concerns with integrating new starters into the workplace

  • Costs of employee equipment

  • Difficulties managing staff remotely

  • Negative impact on working culture

  • Not suitable for our business

  • Reduced communication

  • Reduced productivity

  • Reduced reliability and retention of staff

  • Security concerns

  • Other

  • Not sure

Which, if any, of the following skills has your business had a high demand for in the last 12 months?

  • Advanced digital skills

  • Basic digital skills

  • Customer service skills

  • Management or leadership skills

  • Manual skills

  • Transferable skills

  • Other

  • None of the above

Which, if any, of the following skills does your workforce require extra support or training in?

  • Advanced digital skills

  • Basic digital skills

  • Customer service skills

  • Management or leadership skills

  • Manual skills

  • Transferable skills

  • Other

  • None of the above

Is your business currently experiencing a shortage of workers?

  • Yes

  • No

  • Not sure

  • Not applicable

How has the shortage of workers affected your business?

  • Employees working increased hours

  • Had to pause trading entirely

  • Had to pause trading of some of the business

  • Had to recruit temporary workers

  • Unable to meet demands

  • Other

  • Not sure

  • Business has not been affected

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8. Comments

Please tell us anything else about your business's current situation relating to topics covered in this survey

  • Comments
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Contact details for this Article

Emily Hopson
bics@ons.gov.uk
Telephone: +44 1633 455 592